Quint's Quarterfinal Preview Story, Video: Expansion of the Game on Display

Quint Kessenich writes this column for The Baltimore Sun every Friday. For more lacrosse news from The Sun, visit their Lacrosse Insider blog for daily news and notes. Also, follow them on Twitter @LacrosseInsider.

The expansion of lacrosse is on full display.

For the first time in NCAA tournament history, three of the top four seeds lost in the first round. Down went Loyola, Penn and, in a Sunday night stunner, Syracuse.

The distance between the traditional powers and the newcomers is shrinking. Nowhere was that more evident than in the shutdown of the Orange by Bryant, which six short years ago toiled in Division II.

Eight teams remain, and five of them have never won a national title in lacrosse. It’s time to study the angles.

Saturday at Hofstra

No. 7 seed Maryland vs. Bryant

Top specialists are the storyline. The two best faceoff men and goalies go head-to-head. Possessions will be hard-fought, with the Terps’ Charlie Raffa squaring off against Kevin Massa at the center line. Massa leads the country in faceoff percentage (.708) and ground balls per game (10.9). Raffa has won draws at a .676 rate, good for second-best.

Both goaltenders will attempt to shut the door — Gunnar Waldt (.610) and Niko Amato (.574) stand proud in the crease. Waldt (St. Paul's) feasts on low-angle shots and plays aggressively on a high arc. Amato sits deeper on the goal line and works hard to see every shot. He rarely guesses, relying on quick hands. Both exude confidence.

Bryant (16-4) is for real. The Bulldogs have defeated Drexel and Albany, two quarterfinalists. They upset Syracuse at the Carrier Dome, winning an NCAA tournament game for the first time. The Terps and Bulldogs are mirror images built by a possession advantage, stout defense and methodical offense. Bryant usually starts in man-to-man defense and switches to zone.

For Maryland (12-3), the offense hasn't exactly been on a tear. It has been held to 19 goals combined in its three defeats. Freshmen accounted for five of the eight goals last week in the last-minute victory over Cornell.

“With exams this week, less is more,” said coach John Tillman. “They have earned our trust; they are sophomores now.”

On the other side of the ball, the Terps have surrendered double-digit goals just three times this spring but own the nation’s top scoring defense (6.93 goals per game). Goals will be in short supply. Will the Maryland freshman step up again? How will Bryant handle the spotlight?

No. 6 Notre Dame vs. Albany

Albany (12-5) has won eight straight, the latest over Loyola in a 13-6 shocker Saturday in Baltimore. The Great Danes have the nation’s most potent offense with Lyle and Miles Thompson at the wheel. Lyle averages 7.2 points per game, while Miles leads the nation in goals per game (4.7). Albany has never appeared in the NCAA semifinals.

“They always have the green light,” said coach Scott Marr. “Lyle's IQ, command and how he gets everyone involved is as good as I've ever seen. Their creativity has put a spark into the game.”

The Thompson brothers and cousin Ty will be challenged by a Fighting Irish defense that likes to send early double teams. Positioning, decision making and execution must be on point when covering Lyle. Albany’s midfielders and cutters will be given every chance to get open and score.

Albany ranks low in team defense (No. 48) and faceoff percentage (No. 51). The Danes have put tons of pressure on their goalie, Blaze Riorden, a big lefty who averages 13 saves per game. Blaze was on fire against the Greyhounds and is a proven gamer with career wins over Syracuse, Johns Hopkins and Loyola.

Notre Dame (10-5) usually has a top-10 defense, but not this year. How will they defend Lyle and Miles Thompson? The Atlantic Coast Conference champs are more balanced in 2014, able to win a 6-5 pitchers’ duel or a 16-15 barnburner. Matt Kavanagh is their bona fide star who partners well with John Scioscia at attack. The Irish extra-man unit clicks at an impressive 54 percent.

Sunday at Delaware

No. 1 Duke vs. Johns Hopkins

Duke (14-3) has appeared in seven straight championship weekends; Hopkins hasn't been to the semifinals since 2008. The Blue Devils have won 10 of their last 11 games, averaging a staggering 17 goals per game, which would lead the nation. They rank No. 2 in scoring offense but No. 25 in scoring defense. They are excellent off the carpet, and Hopkins must scrap for loose balls or be run out of town. Duke's first midfield of Deemer Class (Loyola High), Christian Walsh (Boys' Latin) and Myles Jones is stacked with playmakers; look for Hopkins to mix man and zone schemes and flip-flop Jack Reilly with Mike Pellegrino.

Johns Hopkins (11-4) has exceeded expectations and is playing with house money. The Blue Jays will try to keep Duke’s midfielders on the field playing defense and bleed them slowly. Hopkins’ extra-man unit is slick and has found pay dirt at 52 percent, but its clearing game (.828) is abysmal, ranking No. 55 in the country. Wells Stanwick (Boys’ Latin) and ball carriers like Rob Guida and Connor Reed will have to deal with a physical Duke defense.

No. 5 Denver vs. Drexel

Denver (15-2) looked like the best team in the tournament last weekend, taking care of North Carolina. The Pioneers haven't lost since March 1, playing in only one close game during a 12-win run. Bill Tierney's scoring offense is ranked No. 3 in the country, shooting a white-hot 37 percent and getting the ball into the paint. Wesley Berg, Jack Bobzien, Eric Adamson, Tyler Pace and Zach Miller run crisp patterns, but Denver is not in a rush. Their MVP is Jeremy Noble.

“He is a five-way midfielder for us,” said coach Bill Tierney. “He plays in the wings of faceoffs, runs offense, defense and extra-man. He is the host, the cook and the waiter, all in one.”

Drexel (13-4) has won nine games in a row, including the Colonial Athletic Association title and a 16-11 win at Penn in the first round of the NCAA tournament, the program’s first-ever victory in the event. Faceoff man Nick Saputo scored a hat trick and was the hero. Ben McIntosh, Nick Trizano and Jules Raucci breath fire into the Dragons offense. Question marks surround the defense, which is ranked No. 32 and must cover a dangerous and skilled Pios offense.

“They are very patient; we are going to have to defend for two and three minutes at a time,” Drexel coach Brian Voelker said of Denver. “They do a great job of getting the ball inside for 6-yard shots, which are like dunks.”